Video Feed
by GoldenGirl
Summary: Future fic based on what happened in the S3 finale. Total spec. Skate.


Title: Video Feed

Pairing: Sawyer/Kate

Spoilers: Up to the S3 finale. After that it's all speculation.

Disclaimer: I don't own Lost.

Author's Note: Italics means flashback.

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Sawyer watches the screen.

His eyes are glassy but resolute. He won't give Ben the satisfaction of seeing what this video feed is doing to him. He wont let any tears spill. His face is a rock. He would pretend that Ben isn't there but instead he reminds himself that he is. It helps.

But of course Ben is there in the room with him. He does see the glimmer in Sawyer's eyes. But he is curious about what's on the screen too and he turns his attention there.

Pretty mundane stuff: Kate gets out of a car, Kate walks to a house, Kate rings the bell.

"She looks nice," Ben says.

Sawyer, in his Dharma uniform, doesn't say anything.

"I do this from time to time," Ben goes on, staring at Sawyer with those shocking, big eyes. "Showing someone a live feed of a loved one at the park or grocery shopping or taking a walk. For some reason it always makes them cry. But it also works to keep them in check."

Sawyer doesn't say anything. It's all coming back to him. Just when he thought he would forget what she looked like at dawn, what she smelled like, how she felt, it's all coming back to him. He's never seen her hair this straight before and it amazes him. He always thought nothing or nobody would maker her lose the curls. But he knows that thinking about this too much will make him go insane so he turns to Ben and says, "What do you want from me?"

But Ben's attention is back on the big screen. "I'd keep watching if I were you. Wouldn't wanna miss this."

Right on cue the door to the home Kate is waiting in front of opens. A woman is at the other end, she looks older than Kate. She greets her and then Kate follows inside.

Sawyer tilts his head slightly, unconsciously, wanting to look inside too. Of course, he can't.

Ben knows what's coming next. He no longer watches the screen, too eager to catch the inevitable expression on Sawyer's face. For a moment longer it stays the same but then, something changes. Ben was hoping to see shock but this is better. Sawyer's eyes flash, his lips quiver, there is a hum of a guttural sound, a stifled moan, but heard nonetheless, the sound of something crumbling inside.

"There he is," Ben says.

On the screen Kate walks out of the house holding a child in her arms.

"He's gotten big," Ben says softly. "He's probably just about learning to walk."

Sawyer's never seen him before but it's the strangest thing, because he recognizes him. The camera is too far away to catch the small stuff, the details of his face, but still he knows him. There's soft blonde hair and he can't tell if the eyes are blue or green but he doesn't need to.

Ben presses a button and speaks into an intercom. "Ask her for the time."

Sawyer is jolted by surprise, he wants these people as far away from them as possible and at the same time he wants the camera to get closer. He realizes that the camera must be hidden, perhaps on a tie or button or something on that level because as it gets closer Kate's face goes out of frame and as the man asks the time all he can see is the boy. His boy, resting his head on his mother's shoulder and staring right at him.

"We know where she lives," Ben says. "And we have the ability to make her..." choosing his words carefully, "safe."

_The boat was there to take them all home, except it wasn't. Not all of them would go. _

_Her hands gripped his shirt and creased the fabric in fists. Her body pressed against him with a force that in another time would make him succumb and buckle before her, a slave to her bidding, but at this time it did nothing to shake his fortitude. He felt her face in the crook of his neck, her tears, her parted mouth. _

"_I won't leave you here," she said._

_She had latched onto him and he was sure she expected him to latch back, but instead he stood motionless. His arms hanging at his sides were conscious not to touch her. If they did then they probably wouldn't let go._

_He allowed himself one touch though, and let his hand slip to her stomach. "But you can't stay here," he whispered. _

_Finally she let go of him and looked down at his and only to look back up just as quickly, and understanding in both their eyes. _

"_I'll come back," she said, touching his face, a few stray tears running down her cheeks. _

"So do we have an understanding?"

Ben shuts the screen off and Sawyer nods. He'll do whatever he needs to.


End file.
